The invention pertains to advertising displays and, more particularly, to a lighted, rotating advertising display unit that has storage space for comestibles, trash, ice, etc., and is mobilized and powered by AC line power or an internal power source, such as a battery or a fuel cell.
In the art of lighted displays, location is a major consideration. In order to reach as many people as possible, advertising displays are often placed in areas of ingress and egress, such as motel hallway alcoves and airport hallways. Many desirable but remote locations cannot be adequately served by lighted displays, however, owing to the lack of availability of power outlets to energize the light fixtures of these units. These types of remote locations include beaches, parks, building entrances and exits, swimming pool and hot tub areas, and building facades. In some of these areas, AC line power is readily available and may be utilized to illuminate and rotate the inventive advertising unit. In other areas, however, AC power is not readily or conveniently available. Consequently, an internal power source must be provided.
One way of internally powering such an advertising unit is to use internal batteries. The batteries needed to provide lighting energy are expensive to maintain, requiring periodic replacement, which increases the labor costs for maintaining the displays. Recent advances in battery technology, however, have resulted in more efficient, longer lasting batteries that may be suitable for such an application.
Rechargeable batteries could be used but require recharging from an external source of electrical power. Coupling high efficiency batteries with a power source such as photovoltaic cells is another alternative for powering such an advertising unit. Most recently, compact fuel cells have been developed for commercial use. In an alternate embodiment, it would make sense to modify a lighted advertising unit of the present invention to obtain its necessary power from one or more built-in fuel cells.
The present invention provides a lighted advertising display unit comprising a number of independent, self-contained display modules located above a base housing the electrical and mechanical components necessary to illuminate, rotate, and control the display modules. In embodiments utilizing a fuel cell, an easily accessible compartment for housing one or more fuel cells may also be provided. The fuel cell allows the display modules of this invention to be electrically powered for both illumination and rotation. Rotationally mobilizing the inventive display increases the eye-catching ability of the lighted advertising disposed upon or within the display module. The batteries, fuel cell, or other self-contained power source provide the needed electrical power to achieve mobility when an electrical power line is not available.
In the fuel cell powered embodiment of the invention, the display unit also comprises compartments for housing fuel to feed the fuel cells, such as hydrogen or methanol canisters. The electric energy supplied by the power source is used to power an electric drive motor, which in turn causes the display modules to rotate upon a centrally located support bearing. A hollow, tapered liner is carried upon a platform, whose support column runs through the centrally located bearing in the base of the unit. Optionally, a removable can may be placed inside the liner. The display modules are cylindrically arranged and mounted to three vertically disposed stanchions upwardly projecting from the base. A slip ring assembly is used to transmit power from the stationary base to the rotating display modules and the motor.
The hollow liner or removable can may be used for many purposes. When used as a trash receptacle, the inner surface of the removable can may be lined or coated for ease of cleaning. The hollow liner is supported by a central column and can support located in the base. The hollow liner is used for storing comestibles, ice, etc. The removable can may be used to receive trash at beaches and parks. An optional top, typically domed, has spaced-apart inlet areas for depositing trash or refuse into the removable can housed within the liner.
Each independent display module has its own illumination source, which, in combination with a light diffusing screen, illuminates advertising or other graphic material to be displayed on each display module. In still other embodiments of the inventive display, direct view displays such as active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD), organic liquid crystal displays (OLED), or plasma displays or similar devices may be used to provide the advertising display. In such units, the display may be animated or may consist of multiple (i.e., more than three) different displays, thus possibly improving the saleability of the advertising space. In some environments (e.g., a zoo, etc.), educational material could be displayed.
Because the independent display modules may be removed and nested with the stanchions, the inventive advertising display unit may be shipped in a compact fashion and easily assembled on site.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,767, issued Sep. 24, 2002 to Hermann-Frank Muller for WEATHER RESISTANT FLAG HAVING A FLAGSTAFF, an illuminated flag is illustrated, which may derive its power for illumination from a fuel cell. No teaching is provided by MULLER for connection of the flag to an external power source such as an AC power outlet. Unlike the MULLER device, the inventive display device provides space for changeable, illuminated displays embodied in independent display modules. Neither does MULLER teach any mechanism for rotating an advertising display nor is any provision made for using a direct view display device in one or more independent display modules. In addition to an internal power source such as batteries or a fuel cell, the inventive advertising display unit may connect to an external power source like an AC power outlet.
Illuminated displays of a similar type to that of the invention can be observed with reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,584, issued on Sep. 7, 1999 to Passanante et al. for ILLUMINATED TRASH RECEPTACLE, which discloses a trash receptacle providing illumination of an advertisement display on the unit""s side walls. PASSANANTE et al. fail, however, to teach a rotating display as provided by the present invention. Also, unlike the advertising display unit of the present invention, PASSANANTE et al. utilize edge lighting rather than backlighting.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,552, issued on Nov. 21, 2000 to Dumontier et al. for DEVICE FOR ROTATABLY DISPLAYING ADVERTISING MATERIAL, discloses a device comprising a revolving member mounted on the base so as to permit rotation of the advertising material. In contradistinction, DUMONTIER et al. teach a system wherein an internal core rotates within a fixed outer cylinder. A single outer cylinder is provided, but repair thereof is time-consuming. DUMONTIER et al. utilize an articulated arm and driving wheel bracket fixedly mounted on a circular plate and a driving wheel mounted on the driving wheel bracket to drivingly engage an underface of the inner horizontal portion of the ring shaped inner tubular member holder as a drive system. The inventive display unit utilizes a direct gear drive, which eliminates any need for a friction drive using an articulated arm or the like.
In addition, DUMONTIER et al. are silent as to a source of power for their display. Consequently, it is assumed that the patentees anticipated connection to only an electrical source exterior to the display. The inventive display device, on the other hand, may be self-powered, thereby freeing it from the confines of the electrical power grid and allowing its placement in areas remote from such power or where an electrical connection would otherwise be too expensive or inconvenient to install.
In accordance with the present invention, there is described a reliable, rotatable, illuminated advertising display unit. Power is provided either by AC power mains or by an internal power source such as a battery or a fuel cell. In an embodiment using an internal fuel cell, an easily accessible compartment for housing the fuel cell is provided. Rotationally mobilizing the inventive display unit increases the eye-catching appeal of the lighted advertising disposed upon multiple display modules carried thereupon. The display unit also comprises compartments used for housing fuel to feed the fuel cells, such as hydrogen or methanol canisters, when required.
In non-fuel cell embodiments, these compartments are used for other purposes. The externally (e.g., AC power. grid) or internally supplied electric energy is used to power an electric drive motor, which in turn causes the display modules to rotate about a centrally located support bearing disposed in the base of the unit.
A rotating structure consisting of a plate supported by a central roller bearing surrounding a vertical column supports multiple vertical stanchions. Multiple, removable, independent, self-contained modules are secured between the stanchions. A stationary hollow liner or can is disposed at an interior region of the display unit, surrounded by the stanchions and modules. Typically, the hollow liner contains an optional, removable inner can. The hollow liner is used for storing comestibles, ice, or discarded trash at beaches and parks. An optional top, typically a domed top, disposed over the unit has spaced-apart inlet areas for refuse placed into the can contained therein. Optionally, the liner may have a taper in its vertical walls to facilitate nesting for shipping or other purposes.
In the embodiment chosen for purposes of disclosure, three independent advertising modules are disposed between and supported by three vertical stanchions. Each module contains a backlighting source, typically tubular fluorescent lamps, which illuminate the advertising disposed upon the display module through a light-diffusing screen. In alternate embodiments, direct view display devices such as active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) or plasma displays may be used in one or more of the display modules to provide readily changeable or animated displays.
The advertising display unit of the invention may be compactly shipped with the display modules, stanchions, and base nested. This saves storage space and increases distribution efficiency. The advertising display unit may then be readily assembled on site.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved, illuminated, advertising display unit.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an illuminated and rotationally mobile advertising display unit for use in remote areas where electrical outlets are not available to supply power.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an illuminated and rotationally mobile advertising display unit having a self-contained source of electrical power.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an illuminated and rotationally mobile advertising display unit wherein the self-contained power source may be a battery or a fuel cell.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an illuminated and rotationally mobile advertising display unit which uses direct view electronic displays such as AMLCD, OLED, or plasma panels in the display modules to provide readily changeable or animated displays.